SUPPORTERS of a long crusade to rewrite British military history have vowed to fight on as a tribute to a key campaigner who has lost his battle with cancer.

Tom Stones argued tirelessly for a posthumous pardon for 306 soldiers, including 87 from Northern regiments, executed as cowards towards the end of the First World War.

Born in Chilton, he was inspired to take up their cause five years ago after learning from newly released Ministry of Defence records that his great uncle Lance Sergeant Joseph Stones, known as Will, had faced a firing squad in January 1917.

Mr Stones, from Staffordshire, spoke up passionately for the cause of the men.

Thanks to his perseverance, Will's name was added to the war memorial in his home town of Crook, County Durham, and Wear Valley District Council launched a drive to persuade every local authority in England to back the pardon campaign.

Council leader Neil Stonehouse said: "He was a lovely bloke. He was very driven and did his damndest for his uncle because he felt a strong sense of injustice. As a tribute to Tom I can promise the issue won't go away. We will carry on until we get the pardon."

Fellow campaigner John Hipkin last saw Mr Stones in November when, for the first time, relatives of the executed men were allowed to join the Remembrance Day parade.

That weekend, Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon announced that no pardons would be granted.

Mr Hipkin, from Newcastle, said: "Tom was a redoubtable fighter, one of the strongest supporters of the campaign. There are some people who are irreplaceable and he was one of them."

Mr Stones leaves a widow Dorothy, daughter Ruth and sons Mark and David.